The plan calls for creating an overlay district that will allow commercial-residential and neighborhood office zoning in the area in an effort to spark revitalization in this western section of the city.

"We have pride in that part of town," said Musselwhite. "That is the original part of Southaven, so we are doing what we said we would do and we want to revitalize that area."

Planning Director Whitney Choat-Cook said the proposal for the overlay district has many facets that include stipulations if the homes are sold and converted to residential-commercial or neighborhood-office.

The overlay district would include approximately 35 homes along State Line Road to Moss Point Drive.

"The zoning will be residential as it is now," Choat-Cook said. "The overlay plan is a secondary layer of zoning that allows it to be something more than residential but has stipulations to it."

Those proposed stipulations call for the homes, if they are sold and become residential-commercial or neighborhood office, be limited to one tenant and no retail strip center. Parking areas would have to be in the back of the property along with uniform fencing.

Other stipulations include uniform signage in the yards and on all the buildings.

"We want to see if allowing conversions of the homes would be beneficial to residents. The area would be similar to the Cooper-Young area in Memphis," Choat-Cook said.

She said several cities across the country have used the overlay districts to revitalize the older sections of their towns.

"It is just a way to help revitalize the area by allowing more options for the homes," she said. "It helps keep the people in the area's property values up and gives them an option because it is hard to sell a house that has a driveway backing into a five-lane arterial road like State Line. We want to give residents an option," Choat Cook said.

She stressed that the Main Street proposal is just that: an option, and is not mandatory for homeowners.

The first draft of the plan will be discussed by the board during its 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday.

The plan has already been reviewed and received feedback from the city's revitalization committee and the planning and zoning commission.

The next step is to set up a town hall meeting, possibly next month, to get input from residents and businesses in the area, Choat-Cook said.

She added that this plan ties into the city's ongoing U.S. 51/Main Street revitalization efforts.